That’s right; genes are what make you similar to your family. Science has clearly revealed; problems in genes can cause diseases that multiple people in a family can develop. Did you know; heart disease is often a family matter? Yes; it is. In fact there are certain features of a family history, which are typically the signs of a genetic heart disorder. Some of these signs however include
- Sudden cardiac death
- Unexplained death at a young age
- Death by unexplained accident or drowning.
- Heart failure at a young age (under 50)
Signs of heart failure may include –
- Fatigue
- shortness of breath
- weakness
- difficulty with exercise
- “asthma” that doesn’t improve with an inhaler
- Palpitations
- Abnormal heart rhythm
Let’s not deny; genetic heart condition can bring up difficult emotions, which include but not limited to fears about death, confusion, worries and more. Inherited heart conditions can affect people of any age and it can be life threatening.
Genetic heart conditions are also different from most congenital heart conditions. But before delving any further let us understand what causes the inherited heart condition now. Inherited heart conditions are typically caused by a fault in one of the genes. This means; you will have a 50:50 chance of inhering it if in case any one of your parents has a faulty gene. And if in case you do; there’s a 50:50 chance of you passing it on to your children. Yes; it’s absolutely possible to have a faulty gene that can lead to a heart condition, yet never develop any signs of symptoms of the condition itself.
So; what inherited heart conditions you can develop?
- Long QT syndrome (LQTS): This is an inherited condition, which can cause heart rhythm disturbances. It occurs in about 1 in 2,000 people.
- Brugada syndrome: This is a rare inherited heart rhythm disturbance, which restricts the flow of sodium ions into the heart cells.
- Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT): CPVT is typically a rare inherited heart rhythm disturbance which is found in young people and children.
- Progressive cardiac conduction defect (PCCD): This is also a rare inherited heart rhythm disturbance. In cases of PCCD, the heart’s electrical impulses are conducted very slowly.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: This is an inherited disease of your heart muscle, where the wall of your heart muscles becomes thickened.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy: This is also an inherited heart disease where the heart muscles become stretched and thin.
- Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC): – Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is also a very rare inherited disease of the heart muscle.
- Familial hypercholesterolaemia: Yes; some are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), which is a genetic condition and thus results in exceptionally high levels of cholesterol in your blood.
So; who can you speak to about genetic heart conditions?
The heart specialist in Kolkata can provide you with relevant information about your genetic condition and how it may affect your family. Keep in mind; call for immediate help if someone collapses suddenly. It can be a case of cardiac arrest if someone stops breathing normally. Perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until medical help arrives.